Request for Comments on Proposed Renewed and Amended Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Assigning Environmental Responsibilities to the State of Alaska
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Alaska Division and Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) propose to renew a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated September 22, 2009 and previously renewed on September 20, 2012, under which the FHWA assigned to DOT&PF the FHWA’s federal authority and responsibility for project-level determinations when certain projects are categorically excluded from preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (NEPA). The renewed MOU also would continue to assign to DOT&PF the responsibility for conducting environmental review, consultation, and other related activities under federal environmental laws. The renewed MOU would extend the duration of the agreement by three years and contains several amendments.
The proposed MOU and a FHWA Federal Register notice describing the MOU and scope of assignment in more detail may be viewed on the Federal DMS Docket at http://www.regulations.gov at the Docket Number FHWA-2015-0018. The documents also may be obtained by contacting the FHWA or DOT&PF as described below. The FHWA will consider the comments submitted on the proposed MOU when making its decision on whether to execute this renewal MOU. The FHWA will make the final, executed MOU publicly available. The public is invited to comment on any aspect of the proposed MOU. Comments must be received by August 31, 2015. Comments should be identified by Docket Number FHWA-2015-0018 and may be submitted by any of the methods described below.
- Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on the DOT electronic docket site.
- Facsimile: 1-202-493-2251.
- Mail to: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590.
- Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
For further information or copies of any document described above, contact:
For DOT&PF: Taylor Horne, Statewide Environmental Program Manager, Statewide Design and Engineering Services, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities at PO Box 112500 Juneau, AK 99811-2500, (907) 465-6957, taylor.horne@alaska.gov For FHWA: Tim Haugh, Environmental Program Manager, FHWA Alaska Division at 709 West 9th Street, Room 851, Juneau, AK 99802, (907) 586-7430, tim.haugh@dot.gov
~~~ DOT&PF complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individuals with disabilities who may need auxiliary aids, services, and/or special modifications to submit comments can contact Alaska Relay at 711 or http://www.alaskarelay.com/ to make arrangements to contact Shannon Erickson, (907) 465-6950.